No ceasefire, but a large prisoner exchange – what Ukraine and Russia agreed on in Istanbul
During the first direct talks since 2022, Ukraine and Russia agreed on a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, but a ceasefire was never established. LIGA.net has compiled the main events surrounding the meeting between Kyiv and Moscow in Istanbul.
Large-scale prisoner exchange. Ukraine and Russia have discussed a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, said. The Main Intelligence Directorate noted that work is already underway on this. Russia's top negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, claims that the exchange will take place "in the coming days."
An anonymous Turkish official told CNN that the exchange would include three categories of prisoners – children, civilians and military – and that is the only real agreement from the Istanbul talks so far.
The Russian delegation did not have sufficient authority to talk about a ceasefire – and no agreement was reached on one. Although a ceasefire was discussed at the meeting, the Russian representatives did not have sufficient authority to do so, the Ukrainian side emphasizes.
"And it's bad that Putin sent people of such a low level," Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha noted, adding that Ukraine will continue to insist on an unconditional, lasting, and complete ceasefire.
Medinsky said that Kyiv and Moscow agreed to "present their vision" of a ceasefire and then continue negotiations.
Potential meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. Umerov reported that the next step in negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation should be to organize a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and dictator Vladimir Putin.
Medinsky stated that the aggressor country "took note" of the request for a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin, but did not provide any other specifics.
Traditionally, Moscow's demands are inadequate. Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhyi reported that the Russian delegation voiced things unacceptable to Ukraine during the negotiations. At the same time, he did not specify what exactly the occupiers said.
Western media, citing Ukrainian diplomatic sources, are writing about another unrealistic demand from the Russian Federation: in particular, Moscow wanted Ukraine to withdraw its troops from its own territories. These are parts of the Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which the aggressor country illegally included in its constitution.
Europe has given specifics on sanctions. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the 17th package of sanctions against Russia could be adopted as early as May 20. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that sanctions pressure on Russia should be increased because Putin has not shown up for the talks he himself proposed and does not seek peace.
Zelenskyy called on von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa to increase pressure on Moscow if it does not agree to a ceasefire, and named key Russian economies against which the next package of sanctions should be applied – banks, oil, energy, metallurgy, and the shadow fleet.
Zelenskyy and partners spoke with Trump. During the European Political Community summit in Albania, Zelensky and European leaders had a telephone conversation with the US leader. After the call, the Ukrainian president emphasized that pressure on Russia must be maintained until Moscow is ready to end the war.
French President Emmanuel Macron said that in a conversation with Trump, he emphasized that Russia had ignored US demands for negotiations and a ceasefire.
At the same time, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, after a conversation with the US president, admitted that "difficult days await us" ahead.
The US President will speak with Moscow. Macron said that the Head of State "intends to have an exchange [of views] with the Russian side." According to him, this could happen "in the coming hours or days" to "find out what happened [in the negotiations] and try to move forward."
The French president mentioned Trump's possible "telephone contacts" primarily with dictator Putin.
Despite the talks in Istanbul, pressure on Russia should be increased. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha stressed that negotiations "cannot and will not serve as an excuse" to not increase pressure on the aggressor country, and this meeting is evidence of why such coercion is necessary.
- On the eve of the meeting with the Russians, Ukraine held talks with the US and Turkey.
The head of the OP reported that the conversation appeared to be "deep and meaningful." Its key topic was real mechanisms for achieving a just and sustainable peace for Ukraine.
